Page 127 of Fall Over You

Everywhere I look in this place, I’m reminded of her. Of all the places I held her and kissed her. Of the doorway I walked through with her on my shoulder, making sure she didn’t get hit anywhere. Of what we did after that and how ready I was to give her just about anything she asked for.

I’m a sucker.

“Girl trouble?” Stone asks, laying a beer mat out in front of Jake before reaching into the well for a cold bottle.

“Fuck off—” I start and Jake holds out his hand.

“He’s not feeling good. Would you mind giving us a little privacy?” Jake says instead, which is significantly more rational than what I said. “Easy, killer.”

“Yeah, whatever.”

Jake waits until Stone is farther down the bar. “Okay, so?”

“I guess this comes with some backstory. My ex . . .”

“The one who was Becca’s best friend? Ellie’s mom?”

I tip my head. “How’d you know?”

“Becca and Darcy are close. Darcy tells me everything.”

I blow out some air. “I wish Becca would tell me more.”

Jake shakes his head. “Okay, so, backstory. What happened?”

I explain who the Dentons are, their drug trade, how they almost hurt Becca.

Jake takes a pensive sip of his beer. “Okay. That’s all pretty shady, but we’re not all exactly who we were a few years ago. People grow and change.”

“Maybe,” I scoff. “But why is she dealing with him?”

“I don’t know. She’s opening a Christmas tree lot soon. Trees, lumber? It’s all related. Have you asked her about it yet?”

“Don’t be so practical,” I say, and he laughs.

“Don’t be a goober who builds a whole case against the woman you love before you’ve even heard her side,” he counters.

“I’m afraid to bring it up. What if she’s doing drugs? Being a drug mule? Doing something illegal on the side? I wouldn’t want to know in that case because it would make me guilty by⁠—”

Jake’s hand lands on my shoulder, giving a firm squeeze. “I’m going to stop you right there. You’re spiraling.”

“It’s like I don’t even know the woman I married.”

A beat of silence falls between us as Jake considers that.

“Darcy and I have only known each other a few years and I still trust her. You’ve known Becca your whole life. I think you know her. But do you trust her?”

I scowl and finish my beer, waving to Stone for another. I wish I could get it for myself so I didn’t have to interact with the loser.

“You sure about that, big dog?” Jake cocks a brow at me and looks pointedly at my empty bottle.

I shrug him off. “It’s just a beer.”

“I want to make sure you don’t make everything worse.”

A fresh one appears in front of me before Stone leaves us alone again. I track a bead of condensation running down the bottle, pouting because I can think how pretty a bead of moisture like that would look running down Becca’s body.

I scowl deeper. My Reba. She’s been the sunshine of my days, but what if I was just a mindless moth, slamming myself into her light without thought of the consequences?